This invention relates generally to a convenience electrical outlet and more particularly to a convenience outlet that is snap-mounted to a wall panel.
Snap in convenience outlets, which include prong receptacles, electrical contacts, and electrical leads to a source of electrical power, are typified by Leviton catalogs snap-on convenience outlets nos. 298 and 1306, which include a plastic body forming the receptacles and holding the contacts and leads, a back cover holding the contacts and leads in the body, a pair of biasable snap-in connectors, and a screw for securing the cover and the connectors to the back of the body. The connector includes four elements exclusive of the contacts and leads.
The primary problem of the prior art is that of assembling three elements besides the contacts and leads and screw mounting the three elements together to complete the assembly.
The present invention overcomes the limitations and disadvantages of the prior art by providing a snap-in electrical connector system that greatly increases the efficiency of assembly of a snap-in connector.
It is also noted that the prior art mentioned, which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A, is mounted to the panel from the outside so that the leads must be tucked into the panel opening. Also, because the snap-in arm elements have no set planar gripping arm, the bias of the arm elements must be very strong, thus causing a special exertion upon mounting the connector to the panel. Connections of this type are adapted to fit wall panels of various thicknesses, so that no planar gripping surface is provided on the inner side of the panel.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a snap-on electrical connector system that includes only two mounting elements.
It is another object of this invention to provide a snap-in connector system that includes two mounting elements that are quickly and simply assembled along with the contacts and leads.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a snap-in connector system that includes two elements that are quickly assembled together with the contacts and leads by a snap-in technique.
It is still another object of this invention to set forth a method of assembling a snap-in connector apparatus that provides for easily and quickly snapping in a hold-down and snap-in element into a connector body while securing the contacts and leads to the body in one basic step.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a snap-in connector system that provides planar gripping surfaces for gripping both the inner and outer surfaces of the wall panel.
The present invention fulfills the above objects and overcomes the limitations and disadvantages of prior art by providing a snap-in convenience electrical connector system for mounting to a wall panel, that includes a body member forming a pair of passages holding electrical contacts and leads and for receiving the prongs of a plug. The body member has outer and inner sides relative to outer and inner sides of the wall panel. The inner side of the body member is covered with a cover element that has a pair of elongated, biasable arm elements that are adapted to be positioned in a pair of recesses formed by the body along its side walls. The arm elements are biased against outer ramped walls of the recesses as they are mounted to the body members with the cover element. The outer elements include keeper portions having planar surface that are adapted to grip the outer surface of the panel after the system is snap-mounted onto the panel through the panel opening. The snap-on connection is accomplished by opposed edges of the panel opening pressing the keeper portions of the arm elements inwardly so that the arm elements are moved to almost a fully biased mode. Once the planar surfaces of the keeper elements pass the outer surface of the panel, the arm elements snap the keeper portions outwardly so as to slide the planar surfaces of the keeper portions over the outer surface of the panel. The ramped outer wall of the recess forms a body planar surface that is adapted to be pressed against the inner surface of the panel where the keeper portions of the arm elements snap over the outer surface of the panel. Thus, the panel is gripped on both its inner and outer surfaces by opposed planar surfaces.
The mounting of the cover element with the attached arm elements is accomplished in one movement by sliding in the arm element into the side recesses of the body member and pressing the cover element down against the inner side of the body member.
A pair of opposed flanges connected to the end edges of the cover element extend along the end walls of the body element. The flanges form holes that accept lock elements that extend from the end walls of the body elements. The lock elements are ramped so as to bias the flanges outwardly during mounting until planar edges of the lock elements pass a locking bar of the flanges and the lock elements enter the flange holes and the flanges are self-biased inwardly to the end walls of the body member.
The flange and lock members act as locks to secure the cover element to the inner side of the body member and to maintain the planar walls of the keeper portions of the arm elements at a particular distance outwardly from the planar gripping surfaces of the body member so that the selected panel of the desired thickness will be accepted between the keeper surface of the arm elements and the gripping surfaces of the body member.
Assembly of the invention is essentially accomplished in two steps, that is, first, placing the cover member end the connected arm elements into position at the inner side of the body member, and second, bringing the body member and the cover elements with arm elements together with enough pressure to snap the flange to the cover element over the snap members of the body member and to pass the arm elements from the ramped recesses, or chutes, of the body member in increasing biasing pressure until the biasing pressure is relieved by self-biasing action of the arm elements outwardly at their position for mounting to the wall panel.